Cigarette or tobacco smoking may be described as the act of inhaling smoke produced by burning tobacco leaves. It may be inhaled through a pipe or more commonly through a cigar or cigarette. Cigarette or tobacco smoking is often resorted to by people due to its relaxing effect. This relaxing effect is very helpful in stressful situations such as during crises or during exams week.

Nicotine Addiction

The relaxing effect of tobacco or cigarette smoking can be attributed largely to the nicotine content of tobacco leaves. Nicotine is a type alkaloid that is very addictive when used. Nicotine is one of the widely used addicting drugs, according to a substance abuse California rehab facility, that make many people from different groups and age levels dependent on smoking. Thus, it should be avoided from the very beginning to avoid dependence.

How Nicotine Works

Nicotine works by directly affecting the brain. Our brains contain a certain chemical called acetylcholine that has a similar shape with nicotine. This chemical acetylcholine functions as neurotransmitter by transmitting information in the brain between nerve cells. The acetylcholine is released from one cell and activates the next cell by fitting into a lock in the next cell, which is called the receptor. However, since nicotine has the same shape as acetylcholine, it is able to interfere in the process by fitting in the acetylcholine receptors. Through this, nicotine is able to get into and stimulate the nervous system, giving the smoker an initial physical lift.

The nicotine however, unlike acetylcholine, stays attached to the acetylcholine receptor for a very long time. Because of this, the receptors are not able to accept acetylcholine keys thus blocking the normal process of transmission of information to the brain. This results to the nicotine acting as a depressant. To remedy this, the brain reacts by producing more acetylcholine and receptor sites to bring information transmission back to normal.

This is the reason why it is very hard to stop smoking once it is started. Because the brain produced more acetylcholine to readjust to the changes caused by nicotine, the smoker, when he is not smoking has too much acetylcholine in the brain and less nicotine. Without the depressing effect of nicotine, he becomes nervous, hypertensive, and anxious, thus looking for more cigarettes.

Quitting Nicotine

It takes one to two weeks for the brain to readjust the amount of acetylcholine back to normal levels. However, the disruptions in the normal process in the brain may be permanent making the process of quitting smoking very difficult. Thus, even if the smoker is able to quit smoking, it is easier to go back to the habit even after the lapse of several years.

To completely say goodbye to smoking habit, it is best that serious quitters seek the help and assistance of therapists and professionals at a substance abuse California rehab facility. They have the right programs and activities that aim to solve the addicting problems of their drug abuse patients. For more information, visit http://www.paxhouse.org.